Chinese carmaker Li Auto has laid out a cautious roadmap for solid-state batteries, planning small-batch vehicle integration in 2027 or 2028 and mass production only in 2032 or 2033. The schedule is later than several rivals have claimed, and it puts a firm brake on hopes for a quick switch to the technology.
What did Li Auto actually say?
On 22 September, sources within Li Auto discussed the company’s plans. They said its solid-state battery technology should be ready for small-batch vehicle integration by 2027 or 2028.
Liu Zhimin, senior director of traction batteries at Li Auto, said the company is “actively laying the groundwork” for the technology. Accordingly, several related projects are running in parallel.
The company has already carried out prototype validation. Notably, that work used smart glasses that Li Auto also sells in China, rather than a car.
Why is mass production so far off?
The sources framed integration and mass production as two very different stages. Achieving mature mass production for vehicles, while keeping a “consistent user experience”, is expected to take a further five years.
As a result, mass-produced Li Auto cars with solid-state batteries would reach the market only in 2032 or 2033. That timing sits well beyond many industry pledges, so it reads as a deliberately measured target rather than a race to be first.
Liu pointed to the core hurdles. Specifically, he named lifespan, charging performance and cost as the main challenges of making solid-state packs work in cars.
How does this fit Li Auto’s battery strategy?
Li Auto has previously said its entire lineup will move to in-house developed batteries. Consequently, the company wants to control more of its supply chain, which could make its products more cost-effective.
Those in-house packs are already in service. Li Auto-branded batteries feature in the Li Auto L6, the Li Auto L8 and the Li Auto i8, a move away from bought-in cells.
The solid-state plan therefore extends a strategy that is already under way. The current liquid-electrolyte packs remain the backbone of the range, including the i9 SUV, while the newer chemistry matures in the background.
Will other carmakers get these batteries?
Li Auto has built a business unit to supply its in-house technology to third parties. Its focus, however, lies elsewhere.
That unit centres on Mach M100 autonomous-driving chips, rated at a computing power of 1,280 TOPS, alongside silicon carbide power modules and extended-range electric powertrain systems. In contrast, the company’s batteries were not being considered for supply to other automakers.
So, for now, any solid-state advances look set to stay inside Li Auto’s own cars. The technology plan and the external supply business appear to run on separate tracks.
How is Li Auto selling in the meantime?
The roadmap arrives during a mixed sales patch. Li Auto delivered 259,930 units domestically from January to August 2025, down 1.2 per cent year on year.
Its current bestseller tells a brighter story. The Li Auto i6 electric SUV, priced from 249,800 to 269,800 yuan, roughly 37,310 to 40,300 US dollars, sold 152,842 cars in the first eight months of 2026.
Those figures show how much rides on today’s cars while the future chemistry develops. Given the timeline, buyers should expect liquid-electrolyte batteries in Li Auto showrooms for years yet.
What should readers take from this?
Solid-state batteries promise higher energy density and, potentially, safer chemistry than today’s cells. Even so, moving from a lab prototype to a reliable mass-produced car pack is hard, as Liu’s list of hurdles makes clear.
Li Auto’s dates put real-world numbers on that difficulty. Small-batch integration in 2027 or 2028 signals early, limited use, and mass production in 2032 or 2033 signals patience.
These remain company statements rather than independently verified milestones, so treat them as an estimate of intent. Ultimately, the timeline suggests Chinese carmakers see solid-state technology as a long project, and Li Auto has said so publicly.
